Size Matters

by Alison Bliss

  “Oh, um…well, I guess I can check on dinner and see how much longer,” Nancy said, obviously flustered by his forwardness. “Come in, Leah. No need to linger in the doorway.”

  Sam glanced around the living room, turning his eyes onto the décor. Apparently, Leah’s grandparents loved the beach so much that they’d brought it inside with them.

  Palm trees adorned the fabric of the cushions on the white wicker furniture, branches of driftwood took up space on the entertainment center, various species of saltwater fish corpses were mounted around the room, and a glass bowl on the coffee table held a small collection of sand, colorful shells, and dried-out starfish—like some kind of ocean graveyard.

  “Lots of dead shit in here,” Sam noted.

  An older gentleman entered the room, wearing a pair of khaki shorts, a white polo shirt, and a pleasant grin. His kind eyes—green, like Leah’s—wrinkled with mirth as he crossed the room and offered his hand. “Hi, I’m Leah’s father, William Martin, but you can call me Bill.”

  Sam shook the man’s hand in an ironclad grip. “I’m Sam. Nice to meet you.”

  “Thanks for joining us this weekend. It’ll give us some time to chat and get to know one another. And you, young lady,” Bill said, glancing over at his daughter, who was nervously shifting her weight, “I thought I’d have to put you on a milk carton if we ever wanted to see your pretty face again.”

  Leah smiled and gave her dad a quick hug. “I’m sorry, Dad. I’ve been a bit busy lately.”

  “I’ll say. You couldn’t even give your old man a call to let him know you were dating someone, much less getting married? What kind of daughter are you?”

  “Well, it all happened...rather suddenly,” Leah told him. “Honestly, I barely had time to process it myself. Where’re Grandma and Grandpa?”

  “Grandma’s in the kitchen cooking up dinner, and your grandfather is in the bathroom…uh, making room for dinner.”

  Leah and Sam laughed, but Nancy shook her head and curled her upper lip in disgust. “My goodness, Bill. Must you say things like that when we’re about to sit down to a meal?” Nancy headed for the kitchen. “I’ll just check on dinner and see how much longer it will be.”

  Unfazed, Bill swung his head in Sam’s direction. “So, Sam, my wife told me you own a construction and remodeling business.”

  “That’s right,” he replied, nodding. “We do anything from small projects to building entire subdivisions. No job is too big or small for me.”

  “Maybe I could get you to do me a favor then. I’ve been wanting to replace my patio door, but I think I’ll need to tear out part of the wall to accommodate the French doors I’d like to have installed. I wrote down the dimensions of both and brought a few photos with me, if you have a moment to take a quick look.”

  “Dad, it’s Sam’s weekend off,” Leah argued. “He didn’t come here so you could put him to work on one of your projects.”

  “That’s okay, sweetheart. I don’t mind looking at something for my future father-in-law. It’s not a problem. Besides, you’re the one who always say there’s nothing sexier than a man who knows how to use his hands.” He smacked her on the ass, and she let out a surprised yelp. “Lead the way, Bill.”

  Her dad walked into an office attached to the living room so Sam quickly followed. It was either that or stand there with a red-faced, pissed-off Leah glaring at him like she wanted to drive nails into every orifice in his body.

  Bill pulled up the pictures on his cell phone and handed it to Sam. From what Sam could tell in the photos, the glass patio door connected to a large deck overlooking a flower garden. When Bill handed him a notepad with the measurements of both doors, Sam glanced over them and then flipped to a blank page to jot down some notes and figure out what it would take to remodel the door frame.

  Leah joined them in the office a moment later and leaned against the mahogany desk with her arms crossed. Apparently she still wasn’t amused with the slap on the rear he had given her.

  After a few minutes, Sam dropped the pen and handed the notepad to her father. “Here’s my bid for the job. If you want it done sooner than next week though, I’ll have to add in some overtime for my crew.”

  Bill blinked at him in surprise. “Wait. You’re charging me to remodel the door?”

  “Of course I am,” Sam said with a firm nod. “It’s not like I need the practice.”

  “But…but we’re practically family.”

  Sam shrugged. “Family or not, I still get paid for the work I do. Well, except for the things I do for your daughter. But she pays me in other ways, if you know what I mean.” He grinned, then waggled his brows suggestively. “Besides, Leah will vouch for me. I’m damn good at what I do, and satisfaction is always guaranteed.” He glanced at Leah. “Isn’t that right, baby?”

  Her eyes widened, and she silently mouthed, “Oh. My. God.” She ran a hand over her red face and shook her head in disbelief. The poor girl obviously hadn’t been prepared for him to make sexual remarks about her, especially to her own father. And her dad didn’t seem to know how to respond any more than she did.

  Sam figured Bill would chastise him about the rude comment or possibly throw him out of the house on his ass. What he hadn’t predicted was for the man to rub at his chin as if he were in deep thought and then smile. “You know, son, I appreciate a man who takes pride in his work and has confidence to spare. You seem like a bright, levelheaded businessman. Tell you what I’ll do. Give me ten percent off on the labor, and I’ll put in a good word for you with my neighbors who are looking for someone to remodel their pool house.”

  Fuck.

  He hadn’t expected Leah’s father to counter his fake bid…even if it had been a fair one he’d drawn up. He’d never turned down work in his life, but he had no doubt Leah would kill him if he accepted the offer. Oh, hell. She’s probably going to kill me before the weekend’s through anyway.

  Sam passed Bill one of his business cards and shook his hand. “You got a deal. Just give me a call when you’re ready to get started on it.”

  Across the room, Leah cleared her throat in an obnoxious, unmistakable what the hell do you think you’re doing kind of way. But he ignored it and refused to let his gaze meet hers.

  “You okay, Leah?” her dad asked, concern tinging his voice.

  “I, um…Yeah, I’m fine.”

  Sam snorted. “Oh, calm down, Bill. Of course she’s okay. It’s not like she’s pregnant or anything.”

  Leah and her father both blinked rapidly but didn’t say a word.

  Gazing at Leah, Sam let his mouth drop open. “Wait. You are on the pill, aren’t you?”

  Her hands clenched at her sides. “Um, Sam,” Leah said, her voice strained with irritation. “Maybe we should get our bags out of the truck. Like now.” Then she marched out of the room.

  Shit.

  Chapter Ten

  Leah shook her head. She had to have heard him wrong.

  My God. Why would he say something like that in front of her father? She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she waited out on the deck for him to join her. This was not at all how she had expected this weekend to begin.

  She was still trying to figure out how he’d convinced her father to pay almost full price for his services. That man was frugal, to say the least, and never paid for anything he couldn’t get for half off the regular price.

  But that hadn’t even been the worst of it. Him asking her about birth control in front of her dad definitely took some balls. Big ones that, at the moment, she would love to crush under her heel. He’s acting like such a douche.

  Okay, so obviously that was the point. Sam was normally an extremely likable guy. How the hell else was he supposed to make her family hate him? But did he have to do it in such a way that it embarrassed her?

  He finally appeared at her side. “Ready to get our bags, love muffin?”

  “Sam.”

  “What?” he asked innocently. He dropped an arm over he
r shoulders and pressed his face into her hair, as if he were nuzzling her neck. His voice lowered. “Your father is watching us from the window.”

  “Oh.” Sighing, Leah moved quickly toward the stairs. Once they made it to the bottom, where the truck was parked in the shade under the beach house, she opened the door and reached inside for her bag.

  “I’ve got it,” Sam said, nudging her out of the way and grabbing both of their duffel bags from the backseat. Then he turned to face her and glanced around, as if making sure no one else was around to hear him. “We probably should’ve talked about this sooner, but about these sleeping arrangements…”

  “What about them?”

  “I’m just wondering if I need to sleep with one eye open.”

  Leah smirked. “After the things you said in front of my father, I’d say you might want to at least lock the door so he doesn’t castrate you in your sleep.”

  “Actually, I was more worried about you.”

  “Me?”

  “Well, yeah. If we’re going to be sleeping together…”

  Leah blinked at him as warmth pooled in her stomach. “W-what are you talking about? Why would we be sleeping together?”

  Confusion warped his features. “When your mom mentioned hooking you up with Chad Howard during the reception, she said you would have a roommate. I guess I just assumed she meant—”

  “You thought my mom was going to have me bunking with the building inspector?” A giggle escaped her lips. “No, of course not. My mom was referring to my brother, Ethan.”

  “You’re going to sleep with your brother? I can’t say that’s any better.”

  “We normally have our own rooms when we come to visit, but since we have an extra guest, we’ll have to change it up. You can take my room, and I’ll sleep in Ethan’s room. There’s bunk beds in there.”

  Sam heaved out a quick breath, and his mouth softened with something that looked very much like relief. “I have no problem rooming with your brother and letting you keep your own bed.”

  “Oh, so now you want to sleep with my brother?” She grinned and then measured him with her eyes. “Sam, you’re at least a foot longer than I am. You won’t fit in a twin bed.”

  “It’s fine. I’ll take the bunk bed.”

  “Don’t be silly. I’m sharing the room with my little brother. It’s my family so it’s my call. End of discussion.”

  He hesitated but nodded in acknowledgment. “Okay, fine. I guess I’m safe then.”

  “For now.”

  Sam chuckled and let his gaze wander over the surrounding area, then his eyes stopped on the trail that snaked between the sand dunes. A long boardwalk covered in sun-bleached wood planks led straight onto her grandparents’ property. “So this is where your grandparents live year-round, huh?”

  Leah started back up the stairs with Sam trailing behind her, bags in hand. “Yep. When I was younger, they owned a condominium—the one I told you about—and I would sometimes stay with them during the summer. They hated sharing the beach with all the tourists though so they sold it and bought this instead. They like their privacy. There are still people around, but not as many tourists come this far down the beach.”

  “It’s nice,” Sam said, glancing at the ocean as they reached the upper deck. “The water seems awfully close to the house though. I bet their hurricane insurance premium is a bitch.”

  Leah laughed. Only a building contractor would take in this gorgeous ocean view and think about insurance claims. “No doubt.”

  The front door opened, and her dad poked his head out. “Leah, your grandma is asking how much longer you two are going to be out here. She said she wants to meet your fiancé before she dies of old age.” Then he winked at them.

  “William Martin, I did not say any such thing!” a woman squawked from behind him.

  Leah giggled and started for the door. “We’re coming, Grandma.”

  As they entered, Leah noted her grandparents standing in the living room together, waiting patiently to meet Sam. Her grandma wore cream-colored linen pants and a burgundy blouse, and her white hair had been styled into a pretty bob. Her grandpa was dressed in dark polyester pants and a blue button-down shirt with a white cap on his head bearing a fishing logo. They were both smiling.

  She gave them both a hug and turned to Sam as he set their bags down by the front door. “Sam,” she said, motioning to the elderly couple next to her, “these are my grandparents, Jack and Penny Martin.”

  Sam stepped forward and shook Penny’s hand first. “Nice to meet you, Penny. Heard a lot about you.”

  Leah bit her bottom lip. Not really, but he must’ve thought it sounded good.

  “We’re so happy you’re joining us this weekend,” her grandma told Sam, her voice as sweet and sincere as always. “Please feel free to make yourself at home. If you need anything, all you have to do is ask.”

  “Thanks,” Sam said, nodding.

  Leah’s grandfather held out his hand to Sam. “Glad to meet you.”

  Sam gazed at the outstretched hand, but didn’t accept it. “Jack, did you wash that hand before you came out of the bathroom?” he asked seriously.

  The room fell silent. After a few seconds, her grandpa barked out a laugh and squeezed Sam’s shoulder. “Good one, son.”

  Sam grinned and gestured to his surroundings. “Great place you have here. When Leah told me we were staying at her grandparents’ beach house, I pictured a small bungalow on the water. But this place is a lot bigger and a bit fancier than I imagined.” He wrapped his hand around Leah’s waist and yanked her to his side. “Guess I hit the jackpot by choosing to marry this one.”

  Leah gritted her teeth. “Oh, stop it,” she said, swatting at him playfully. Then she turned her attention back to her family. “Don’t mind him. Sam’s just kidding. He does that a lot.”

  “A good sense of humor is never a bad thing,” her dad said, observing from the sidelines. “Shows that the man has some character and keeps things interesting. Does wonders for a long marriage.” The quick glance he gave his wife didn’t go unnoticed. By Leah or her mother.

  What the heck is that all about? But Leah didn’t have time to focus on that right now. She had too many other things to worry about at the moment. And most of that had to do with whatever the hell would come out of Sam’s mouth next.

  “Why don’t I help you get settled in?” Leah’s grandma said, motioning to the two overnight bags he’d set on the floor. “If you two will grab those and follow me, I’ll show you where you’ll be sleeping. And I hope you brought your appetite with you, Sam. Dinner will be ready soon, though you have plenty of time to freshen up if you’d like.”

  “Sounds good,” Sam replied.

  Leah stepped toward the bags, but Sam snatched both of them up from the floor before she could grab hers. They started to follow her grandma to the hallway, but Leah’s grandfather put a firm hand on Sam’s shoulder to stop his motion. “Sam, have you ever had crabs before?”

  Sam grinned. “Well, Jack, I guess that depends on what kind of crabs we’re talking about,” he said, giving him a vulgar wink.

  Leah felt the air back up into her lungs as she waited for her grandpa’s response. Sam was obviously trying to shock the old man into having a reaction, but he didn’t get the one he was probably shooting for. Nor one she expected.

  Her grandpa chuckled and offered Sam a friendly slap on the back. “Yep, you’ll do. Welcome to the family, son.”

  Still smiling, Sam continued toward the hallway where her grandmother waited for them. Leah walked fast and caught up with them just as her grandma swung open the bedroom doors to the room Leah had always used.

  She loved sleeping in there.

  Not only was there a connecting bathroom to the right of the entrance, but the décor was much more Leah’s style. There were some simple touches of beach nostalgia, but the room had more of a homey feel than any other bedroom in the house. Probably had something to do with the antique poster
bed and the matching mule chest standing proudly in the corner. Her grandmother had owned both of them for as long as Leah could remember.

  Her grandmother smiled. “Here you go, Sam. I put fresh sheets on the bed, and there are plenty of clean towels in the bathroom.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate it.” Sam stepped inside and let his gaze wander aimlessly around the room, but then his eyes seemed to snag on something. He set their bags down on the old-fashioned quilt covering the bed and ran his hand along the smooth, polished surface of the wood’s grain. His eyes widened. “Holy shit! Is this tiger maple?”

  “It is,” Leah’s grandma said, her face brightening. “Why, how did you know?”

  “My own grandmother used to have a bookshelf made out of this very wood. She wouldn’t let us anywhere near it though. Said it was really old and expensive.”

  “Well, that’s because it is. But this bed has been in my family for generations, and it was meant to be slept in. Especially by the handsome young man who is marrying my granddaughter. And who knows? If I get a great-grandchild out of you two sometime before I die of old age, I might even gift it to you in my will,” she said with a wink.

  Leah’s head snapped to her. “Grandma! You can’t rush us into having kids by bribing my fiancé with old bedroom furniture.”

  “I can if it works.”

  Leah laughed, but Sam didn’t look amused. If anything, he looked uncomfortable as hell. She walked over and lifted her bag from the bed. “Um, I guess I’ll just take my stuff to Ethan’s room and get settled in.”

  “Oh, no.” Penny shook her head adamantly. “I wouldn’t dream of separating you from your fiancé. Leah, you’ll be staying in here with Sam.”

  Leah’s heart pounded against her rib cage so hard that her teeth chattered. “B-but...but…”